Adaptation of Alan Burgess' novel "The Small Woman" has a female missionary running an inn for merchants in China in the years before World War II. One of those absolutely shameless, saccharine concoctions that strives only to move audiences to tears. Glowing Swede Ingrid Bergman has somehow been cast as real-life glowing Brit Gladys Aylward, who wants nothing more than to serve God and help children--beat that for a movie come-on!; meanwhile, Brit Robert Donat has somehow been cast as The Mandarin of Yang Cheng (!). It all ends happily (natch), complete with a sweetly-frenzied music tempo and a background score furiously pumping out "Knick Knack Paddy Whack". Despite the groaning narrative--and the whopping 158-minute running time--the movie is never boring, a testament to Bergman's presence. The actress has a musical voice and a saintly allure; true, this is all Hollywood smoke and mirrors, but when Ingrid is on-screen saving babies or rushing into the arms of flawless, loving Curt Jurgens--I am fooled. "Happiness" is the epitome of unabashed wholesomeness. The film wears its emotions on its sleeve like a badge of honor, allowing viewers to weep and swoon and giggle--and laugh at one's self for doing so--but you'll hate yourself in the morning. **1/2 from ****